Page 14 of ‘I Do’ for Revenge
They were on a quiet leafy street on the way back into the city, the moon shining bright. She got out. The dog made a little pitiful sound and she said something reassuring. For a bizarre moment Vito almost...envied the dog. Ridiculous.
Flora stood and faced him.
Vito folded his arms. ‘Tell me everything that happened after you walked out of my office.’
Flora gulped. She might have imagined this scene in her weaker moments when she would have enjoyed seeing Vittorio Vitale grovelling a little, but now that he was in front of her looking positively...nuclear, it didn’t feel as good as she might have imagined. She almost felt as though she should be apologising.
‘When I left your office I had nothing. Nowhere to go. Not a cent of money.’
Vittorio shook his head. ‘How?’
‘I told you I hadn’t seen my uncle since that day. He told me in no uncertain terms that any use I’d had was no longer valid. I did try to go to the palazzo but it was already closed up.’
‘But what about your inheritance?’
Flora shook her head. ‘My uncle plundered it over the years. I stupidly signed a form granting him access until I was of age.’
‘In all the investigations we did, no one noticed that it was gone.’
‘Well, it was.’
Vittorio sounded grim. ‘He must have doctored the accounts. I had no idea you were destitute. I assumed you had that money, or that you’d just leave with your uncle.’
Flora repressed a shiver. ‘No way.’
Vittorio cursed softly. ‘You’re cold. Let’s go.’
She wasn’t cold but he was already ushering her back into the car and closing the door and within seconds they were driving again, until they entered the historic centre of Rome. Not far from Vittorio’s offices and where her uncle’s palazzo had been.
Vittorio came to a stop outside a discreet building. A doorman jumped out and took Vittorio’s keys. Another attendant took Flora’s battered case and Vittorio said, ‘Does the dog need to be taken around the block? Damiano can do it.’
Flora took Benji out of the carrier and attached his lead, handing it to the young man. She said, ‘Thank you.’
The little dog trotted off happily. Vittorio said, ‘He obviously doesn’t dislike all men.’
Now Flora felt irrationally guilty. ‘Um...no...mainly just the tall ones.’ Who looked intimidating. She kept that to herself.
Inside, the apartment building was sleek and modern, belying the older exterior, which she figured must be protected as a lot of structures were in Rome. Vittorio obviously favoured a less traditional aesthetic, and, having grown up in the stuffy Gavia palazzo, Flora found she appreciated the clean lines.
They ascended in the elevator, Flora very conscious of still being in her waitress uniform. The doors opened directly into the apartment, a reception hall with marbled floors and a massive round table upon which sat a vase full of colourful blooms.
The apartment seemed to take up the entire top floor with massive rooms, tall ceilings and an outdoor terrace. A housekeeper met them, an older woman, Sofia. She showed Flora a dog bed and bowls for food and water and assured her they’d have more things tomorrow.
Flora was about to protest that they probably wouldn’t still be here but Vittorio was saying, ‘Come into the living room. It’s more comfortable.’
The room was filled with couches and chairs. Coffee tables stacked with books. Modern art on the walls. Muted colours. It was soothing. Flora had an urge to curl up on a couch and sleep for a week. She tried to hold back a yawn.
Vittorio was looking at her. He said, ‘You should go to bed. You’re exhausted.’
She didn’t protest. As much because shewasexhausted but also because she needed to try and absorb everything that had happened this evening since she’d heard someone say his name at that function, causing a chain of events leading to here.
Vittorio instructed Sofia to show Flora to her room and she dutifully followed the older woman down a series of corridors, to a door. Inside was a massive bedroom suite with dressing room and en suite. Even a living room with TV.
Sofia showed her where her case had been stowed and where there was a robe and toiletries. The woman’s kindness made Flora feel emotional. After growing up in the sterile environment of her uncle and aunt’s guardianship, she’d experienced more compassion and kindness in the last six months than ever before in her life. And from people who had the least amount of resources.
And yet... Vittorio had shown her kindness this evening. Disconcerting. The last person she would have expected to help her. She would have assumed if he’d seen her waitressing like that he’d either laugh or completely ignore her. Step over her as she’d picked up the broken glass. But he hadn’t done anything of the sort. He’d stood up for her.
And now he was taking her in.